Now is the time for series finales. The last episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Lost share space in my May 23 memories, but my thoughts are on the recent Late Show Finale and the tumultuous changes we’re seeing in the world right now. There are lessons to be learned from each of these shows, whether or not we’re ready to accept them.
Just about one century ago, airships were rising to prominence as the luxury option for long-haul travel. Today, some companies are touting airships as a climate-friendly alternative to airplanes. We may be set to see a renaissance for this slower, more intentional means of travel, but we also need to consider unseen and upstream costs that can still contribute significantly to its carbon footprint.
We were a little late in getting our COVID vaccines this fall because we caught it over the summer. In all reality, I actually enjoy getting my shots to justify a day of guilt-free loafing around the house. But with vaccine skeptics in the highest levels of government, I worry about the rise of misinformation and ever-dropping rates of vaccinations in the US and abroad.
Another summer has gone by, and I am woefully far behind on my pollinator garden. Once again, life events kept me on the couch and out of the garden for the second year in a row. While I was upset that I wasn’t more productive, the garden is starting to take care of itself, which was – honestly – part of the plan all along.
Today we are surrounded by more information than we can process, and we are drawn to stories that align with what we want to be true. That has dire consequences during pandemics, when we rely on scientific data to save lives. Unfortunately, most humans don’t change their minds when confronted with facts, which is the primary education tactic for people in the sciences.
I had hoped my first bout with COVID-19 (during 2024’s “FLiRT” variants) would be my last. Unfortunately, 2025’s “Nimbus” caught up with me, landing me on the couch for many hours with nothing to do but research my adversary. It is more important than ever that we understand these increasingly transmissible COVID-19 variants, especially in an age of decreasingly reliable information online.
Like many people, I don’t always take proper care of myself, despite knowing better, and despite encouraging others to do so. In our increasingly tech-centric world, we are developing terrible habits, particularly when it comes to posture, which can lead to short-term discomfort and long-term health conditions that are more serious. Thankfully, those issues can often be addressed (even reversed) with consistent self-care.
Affordability often comes with a price somewhere in the supply chain. In the case of instant noodles, it could be deforestation for ingredients and oil extraction for packaging long before the noodles hit the store and/or adverse health outcomes long after they hit the stomach. Nevertheless, this invention was an unexpected marvel that buoyed the Japanese economy and still supports disaster relief efforts worldwide.
The hateful phrase “good enough” always feels like a cop-out to someone who strives for perfection in all aspects of her life, but I’m learning to live with it during what has been a very difficult year. Knowing I wouldn’t achieve a perfect Thanksgiving dinner, even if I tried, my goal shifted to something far more important: spending time with my dad.
While the Spotted Lanternfly is on the rise in Pittsburgh, I was surprised to find very few back east when I was visiting my dad this summer. Thanks to ongoing research from academics and vigilance from the agricultural industry, we’re learning more about where they pose the most risk and what methods are – and aren’t – successful at keeping them at bay.